Epic Selfie Vid From China

On his year-long walk from Beijing to Ürümqi (that’s a staggering 4500 km solely on foot!) Christoph Rehage grew an impressive beard and mop of hair. But more than that, he accomplished a feat many people only dream of: he never took public transport during his travels, crossing through the likes of the Gobi dessert with just the use of his feet (oh, and a wheel barrow to cart his belongings). Rehage’s video, The Longest Way, that documents the expedition has won a slew of impressive awards from various film festivals, and while awards are great, what’s more important is that his journey touches the public personally. From walking guides to your daily pedestrian commuters, Rehage fills every viewer with the desire to take on China (or anywhere, for that matter) by foot. The pictures he takes that document stunning backgrounds encourage exploration, fueling anybody’s longing to travel, to be adventurous, and to leave fuel-fed transportation behind.

Thanks to Rehage, and with China now on the mind, we’re obsessed with all that the East Asian country has to offer. While, like Rehage, you may be determined enough to take on the land alone, China’s guides provide a wonderful alternative: they take you to the country’s hot spots and feed you information about the nation’s heritage and history. Carol Guan, for example, has been leading guided trips throughout China for 8 years, and she’ll take you on a bamboo raft down the Li River, cycling through Yangshuo’s countryside, and hiking along the terraced rice fields of LongSheng, to name just a few excursions. And the added bonus of venturing off on day trips in China alongside professional guides is that you don’t have to worry about growing a beard, no matter how prize-winning it may be!

Watch the following video made my Rehage, and when it’s over, don’t hesitate to hire a guide in China to show you some of the sites in person.